Security tight for cup final
More than 1,500 police will be on duty at the soccer cup final between Olympiakos and AEK in Crete this afternoon as authorities flew in riot squads from all over Greece yesterday amid fears of hooliganism. Eight riot teams from Athens and four from Thessaloniki reached Iraklion yesterday on board a C-130 military plane. Organizers expect about 27,000 spectators to fill the Pankrition Stadium, with 9,000 tickets having been given to each team. Olympiakos and AEK fans are expected to arrive on the island this morning on separate ferries. Authorities will attempt to keep the two sets of supporters apart during their stay on the island. The game was originally scheduled for last Saturday, but the Public Order Ministry forced soccer officials to postpone it because of a lack of available police officers. Last week’s European Social Forum was deemed too much of a strain on police resources and there were fears that a low police presence in Crete would not be enough to prevent violent clashes between the fans.
